Train-announcing system



July 21, 1925@` 1,546,407 E. A. REYNOLDS TRAIN ANNOUNCING i SYSTEM Filed Dec. 17, 1919 2 sheets-sneer 1 t/v/ /NI/E/VTRl M kL/ ATTORNEY July 21, 1925.

E. A. REYNOLDS TRAIN ANNOUNCING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 17, 1919 2 Sheets-She Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EGBERT A.'REYNOLDS, OF WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO .AUDIPHONE COMPANY 0F AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION 0F DELAWARE.

TRAIN-ANN OUNCIN G SYSTEM.

Application filed December 17, 1919. Serial No. 345,663.

To all whom 1f may concern.'

Be it known that I, EGBERT A. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at lVeehawken, county of Hudson,

State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train- Announcing Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to train announcing systems and is particularly applicable for street and railroad trains.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved simple and effective means of announcing stations and the transmission of other intelligence to different parts'of a train of cars or other vehicles, simultaneously from a single announcing unit. A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical system for electrical trans# mission and an announcing unit constructed and arranged to be auton'iatically connected in or disconnected from the system, Whereby the continuity of the train circuit is preserved When the-unit is disconnecte-difrom vany particular car and the proper 'connections ci'ected when the unit is inserted a any location of the system.

The most preferred forms of my invention comprise a wiring circuit and local battery or other electrical source for each car or other unit, such Wiring circuit being preferably uniform for the several car units, and. one or more terminal blocks adapted to be positioned at either the front, rear or intermediate door or doors, the Wiring circuits of thel respective cars being provided with suitable openings for' connecting the cars electrically together and an announcing unit provided with a sound receiving element. The sound emitting element comprises preterably a split horn or trumpet located in the center of the car, the two discharge openings of such split horn bei'ng directed to effectively emit the sounds clearly to all parts of the car.

A suitable announcing device or other sound receiving element is provided with contacts, such announcing device and its contacts being mountedv on a uni.tar v base, the contacts projecting from the rear face of the base for connecting in the local battery and providing proper connection With the Wiring circuit, whereby upon insertion of the resulting announcing unit in the terminal block of any car, the connection is at once effec-ted with the sound emitting elements of the train system. The contacts of the announcing' unit and the corresponding contact socket openings of the terminal block are arranged in a predetermined spacing to insure proper posit-ion of the announcing unit in the terminal block. Upon withdrawal of the announcing unit from the .terminal block, the circuit of such car is restored foi operation of the system upon insertion of the vannouncing unit in any other terminal block of the train.

Further features and objects of the in vention will be more fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a train comprising tive cars and equipped With my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front face elevation of a. terminal' block of my system shown somewhat enlarged Fig. 3 is a rear face elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4L is a detail, perspective view of a. preferred form of contact of my terminal block; y

Fig. 5 is a front face elevation of one form of announcing unit of my system;

Fig. G is a. rear perspective view of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections.

Referring to Fig. 1, the cars or other vehicles of the train are indicated at 1, 2, 3, 1 and 5. In each car is suitably positioned a split horn or trumpet 6 having divergent discharge openings directed toward the opposite ends of each car. The receiver of such horn 6 is preferably of such construction described and claimed in the pending application of De Elbert Reynolds, and Egbert A. Reynolds, Serial No. 183,215 filed July 28, 1917, or of any suit-able, approved electrical type, as will be understood by the art, and is indicated at 7 in the en ,larged view in Fig. 7. The announcing unit or other sound receiving unit indicated at 8, see Figs. 5 and 7 is of any approved type and is preferably associated with the amplifying coil 9, see Figs. 5 .and 7, as described more fully hereinafter. The leads from the announcing unit 8 yto the primary l0 of the induction coil 9 are indicated at' A onda 11, 12, one of whichA is provided with a suitable cut out switch 13, as indicated in Figs. and 7. The primary wiring 10 in Figs. 5 and 7 is shown extending over two sections of the amplifying coil 9, whereas the secondary of the amplifying coil 9 is formed of two separate windings 14, 15. The lead 16 from one terminal of one sec- 14 connects with the contact 17 and the lead 18 from the other terminal of `the secondary connects with the contact 19. Similarly, the lead 20 from one terminal of the other secondary 15 of the amplifying coil 9 is connected with the contact 21 and the lead 22-connects the other terminal of the secondary 15 with the contact 23. The announcing unit 8 and theprimary 10 of the induction coil 9 are provided with the contacts 24, 25, for connection with the batter 26 of the' particular car. v I

referably such transmitter 8 and amplifying coil 9 and the contacts are mounted on. the unitary block 26 of insulating material, Such contacts 17, 19', 21, 23, 24 and 25 project through .and beyond the rear face 27 of the block 261. l

It will be noted that the contacts 17 19,

' 21, 23, 24, and 25 are spaced apart from one another in a predetermined relation for the purpose of ensuring proper insertion of the contacts and therewith of the announcing unit and amplifying coil 9, or thean-V nouncin unit as a whole into the terminal block'o the system to properly connect the same in the train system in proper circuit relation.

The terminal'block comprises the base 30 on which are mounted contact sockets ontact socket 35 is connected by the lead 36 to the opposite terminal of the battery 26. The' contact openings of the Contact sockets 33, 35 are respectively designated 37', 38', as shown in Fig. 2.

The contacts for the respective secondj aries are of dual contact form and arranged upon insertion of an announcing unit to connect the terminals 17, 19', and 21, 23, with theI respective pairs of lead wires running to the vforwardly disposed horns 7, and the rearwardly disposed horns 7, and,l upon withdrawal of the announcing unit from the particular terminal block, connect1on is automatically established between the respective contact portions of the dual contacts to properly connect the lead wires of the particular car into the circuit system of the train. Upon withdrawal of the announcing unit from the terminal block of a particular car, the battery 26 of such particular car is o en-circuited.

In the speci c ,terminal block shown in the drawings of the application, the contact 17 of the secondary winding 14 of the amplifying coil 9 coacts with the set of contact strips 37, 38, whereby upon insertion of the contact 17 through the socket opening 39 passing through the block 30, the contact stripn37 is moved out o-f opera-tive position relative to the contact strip 38, as

is indicated diagrammaticallly in detail on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4. Upon withdrawal of the contact `17 from the socket opening 39, the contact strip- 37 springs back and restores its electrical connection with the contact strip 38, i. e., through the button 39 of contact 38.. The contact strips 37, 38 are mounted at their non-contactingl 'acts vwith the set lof contact strips 40, 41,

the latter being provided with the contact button 42, whereby upon insertion of the contact 19 through the socket opening43 in the base 30, the contact 40 is moved out of contact with the contact 41 and upon withdrawal `of the Contact 19 through the socket opening 14, the electrical connection be- -tween contacts 40 and 41 is restored.

Also, in a similar manner, the contact 21 of one end of the secondary' winding 15 of the amplifying coil 9 cooperates with the- 48, 49, the latter/.being provided with the contact button 50 and the socket opening 51 provided in the block 30 for insertion of the contact 23. v

Fig. 4 illustrates as well the operation of the respective sets of contact strips 40, 41.`

and'44, 45, and 38, 39, as the setof contacts 33, 35, as described in particular hereinin which figure the announcing unit indicated at 54 is shown inserted in the terminal block adjacent the forward door, indicated. at 55, of car 3, such wires 52, 53, ex-

tend to the right and connect with the terminals of the horn 7 disposed at substantially the center of the car 3.

Similarly, the contact strip 44 is connected by the lea-d 56 and the contact strip 48 by the lead 57, see Figs. 1 and 3, with the circuit leading to one or more horns 7 disposed to the left of the aforesaid position 54 of the announcing unit in car 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

The contact strip 38, see Fig. 3, is connected by the lead 60 with the contact strip 45, and the contact strip 49 by the lead 61 with the contact strip 41.

Specilically, said leads 56, 57, see Fig. 1, run to the terminal block indicated at 58 positioned, say, adjacent the rearward door of the car 2 and by reason of the absence of any announcing unit inserted in such terminal block 58, similar to the aforesaid terminal block shown in Fig. 3, connection is made through the corresponding sets of contact strips with the leads running to the ter- .minals of the horn 7 in car 2, and similarly through the terminal block at the forward door of car 2, thence through the wiring circuit through the terminal block at the rear.- ward door of car 1, and thus to the terminals of the horn 7 in car 1.

Similarly, the horns 7 of cars 4 and 5 are connected in tandem in the wiring circuit through the respective terminal blocks shown as disposed adjacent the rear door of car 3, the forward and rear doors of car 4 and the forward and rear doors of car 5, etc. It Will be noted that the battery 26 of car 3 is in circuit through the contacts 33,

' 35 lof the terminal block adjacent the front dooi of car 3, said terminals 33, 35 coacting with the terminals 24, 25 of the announcing unit 54, whereas the batteries of the other cars are thrown out of circuit.

The connection from car to car of the two wire circuits is made by means of any suitable circuit coupling as will be understood by the art.

Upon withdrawal of the announcing unit 54 from the particular position shown in Fig. 1, namely from the terminal block 58, and the insertion of the announcing unit 54 in any other terminal block of the train, the wiring circuit of the horns is established `through the terminal block 58 adjacent the front door 55 of car 3 preparatory for insertion of the announcing unit in any other terminal block of the train circuit.

In a similar manner the invention is applicable for use in communication systems in factories and other buildings for the exchange of communication from any variaablc location of announcing to one or. more i locations of reception. For purposes of simplification, I have shown my invention applicable to a two -wire circuit system and embodying amplifying means formed of twoy secondaries, the respective secondaries controlling sound emitting devices located forwardly and rearwardly of the location of announcing, but such specific circuit ar-` rangement may be varied to embody any approved communicating system or particular communicating devices as may be desired. It will particularly be observed that l the predetermined spacialjrelationship between such contacts to ensure proper positioning of the announcing unit 1n any terminal block of the system. Y

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood vthat many changes and modilications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim.

1. In a train of separable vehicles, a sound emitting device for each of said vehicles, lead wires carried by each vehicle connected to the terminals of said sound emitting device, a source of electrical energy carried by each vehicle, contacts for said lead wires and said source, insulating means in each vehicle for unitarily mounting said contacts in adjacent relation, a sound receiving device, an amplifying coil, contacts for said amplifying coil separable from said firstnamed contacts and unitary means for mounting said sound receiving device and said amplifying coil and said separable contacts for said' amplifying coil.

2. The combination of a plurality of sound emitting devices, lead wires connected to the terminals of said sound emitting devices respectively, a source of electrical energy, contacts for said lead wires and said source, insulating means for unitarily mounting said contacts in adjacent relation,

a sound receiving device, an. amplifying coil comprising primary and secondary windings, lead wires connecting said sound receiving device with the terminals of said primary windings, contacts for the secondary windings separable from said firstnamed contacts and unitary means for mounting said sound receiving device and said amplifying coil and said separable contacts.

3. In a communicating system, a plurality of sound emitting members disposed at spacially related locations, apair of leads for each of said members, sets of separate contacts connected to said pairs of leads respectively, means disposed correspondingly to said spacially related locations for mounting in common the corresponding contacts of said sets of contacts, sources of electrical energy disposed correspondingly to said spacially related locations, said sources of electrical energy being normally' disconnected from said pairs of leads, a sound receiving member, contacts for said sound receiving member, an amplifying device and a device for mounting in common said sound receiving member, said sound .receiving member contacts and said `amplifying device, said common mounting-device being constructed to be removably assembled at will with any particular one of vsaid spacially relatedl common mounting means, said sound receiving member contacts being mounted on said device to effect connection With the source of electrical energy corresponding to the particular spacially related common mounting means While disconnecting the remainder of said sources of electrical energy.

4. In a communication system, a sound receiving device, a plurality of sound emitting devices, a pair of leads respectively connected toeach of said sound emitting devices, a'pair of contacts for eachof said leads, means for mounting said pairs of contacts in adjacent relation, said contacts of each pair being normally in electrical contact with one another, contacts for said sound receiving device, means for unitarily mounting said last-named contacts and said sound recelvlng device and means for supporting said unitary mounting means on said first-named mounting means and tor moving the contacts of each of said palrs of contacts out of electrical contact with one another.

5. In a communication system, a sound receiving device, a plurality of sound emitting devices, a pair of leads respectively connected to each of said sound emitting devices, a pair of contacts for each of said leads, means for mounting said pairs of contacts adjacent one another and in a predetermined relation to one another, said contacts of each pair being normally in electrical contact with one another, contacts for said sound receiving device, means for unitarily mounting said last-named contacts, and said sound receiving-device,`and means for supportingsaid unitary mounting means on said irst-named mounting 'means and for lmoving the contacts of each of said pairs of contacts out of electrical contact with one l another.

6. In a communication system, a sound re :eiving device, a plurality of 'sound emitting devices, a pair of leads respectively connected to each of said 'j sound emitting devices, a pair of contacts for each of said of contacts out of contact with one another.-

7. In a communication system, a sound receiving device, a plurality of sound emitting devices, an amplifying device, a pair of leads respectively connected to each of said sound emitting devices, a pair of contacts for each of said leads, common means l for mounting said pairs of contacts in adjacent relation, said contactsl of each pair being .normally in electrical contact4 with one another', contacts for said sound receiving device, means for unitarily mounting said last-named contacts', ,said amplifying device and said sound receiving device, and means supporting said unitary mounting means on said first-named mounting means and for moving the contacts of each of said pairs of contacts out of. electrical contact with one another. j I

8. Ina communicationsystem, a sound receiving device, a plurality of sound emitting devices, a pair ofv leads respectively connected to each of said sound emitting devices, a pair of contacts for each of said leads, common means for mounting said pairs of contacts in predetermined adjacent relation, said contacts of ea'ch pair being normally in electrical contact with one another, contacts for said sound receiving device, means or unitarily mounting said lastnamed contacts in `a corresponding'predetermined relation, and means supporting said unitary mounting means on said firstnamed mounting means and for moving the contacts on each of said pairs of contacts out of electrical contact with one another.

9. In a communication system, a sound receiving device, a plurality of sound emitting devices, an amplifying device, a pair of leads respectively connected to each of said sound emitting devices, a pair of contacts for each of said leads, common means for mounting said pairs of contacts in predetermined adjacent relation, said contacts of each pair being normally in electrical contact with one another, contacts for said sound receiving device, means'for unitarily mounting Vsaid-last-named contacts in a corresponding predetermined relation, together With said amplifying device and said sound receiving device, and means supporting said unitary mounting means on said lirst-named mounting means and `or moving the contacts of each of said pairs of contacts out of electrical contact with one another.

10. In a communicating system, a plurality of sound emitting members disposed at spacially related locations, a pair of leads for each of said members, sets of separate contacts connected to said pairs of leads respectively, means disposed correspondingly` to said spacially related locations for mounting in common the corresponding contacts of said sets of contacts, said common mounting means being each provided With openings located at predetermined spacings, sources of electrical energy disposed correspondingly to said spacially related locations, said sources of electrical energy being normally disconnected from said pairs of leads, a sound receiving member, an amplifying device, contacts for said sound receiving member and said amplifying device located to one another correspondmg to said predetermined spacings, and a device for mounting in common said sound receiving member, said amplifying device and said sound receiving member and amplifying device contacts, said sound receiving member and amplifying device contacts projecting from said common mounting device to be received Within said openings of said common mounting means respectively to thereby connect in the source of electrical energy corresponding to any particular one of said mounting means.

In testimony whereof I have signed this vspecification this 3rd dayof December, 1919.

EGBERT A. REYNOLDS. 

